Gaging instruments for shoe lasts



Oct. 1, 1957 D. BRAY ET AL 2,807,835

I GAGING INSTRUMENTS FOR SHOE LASTS I Filed Jan. 27, 1956 Invenfors Donald LBray Char/es E Andre W6 By Meir 4 0 Way United States Patent GAGING INSTRUMENTS non sHoE LASTS Donald L. Bray and Charles E. Andrews, Beverly, Mass, assignors to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Bos' ton, Mass., a corporation of New Jersey Application January 27, 1956, Serial No. 561,805

20 Claims. (Cl. 33-180) This invention relates to a gaging instrument for determining the positions of the heel ends of shoe lasts of the same style in relation to the longitudinal median line of the foreparts of the lasts.

An object of the invention, among others, is to provide simple means to determine the orientations and relative positions through which the heel rest of a machine for operating on the forepart of a shoe must travel in order to locate accurately the heel end 'of any size shoe of the same style so that the forepart thereof will be in correct angular relation to machine elements operating on the forepart.

According to shoemaking practice the heel end of each size shoe or last of the same style has a definite relationship to the heel ends of shoes or lasts of all other sizes of the same style and to the longitudinal median line of the bottoms of their foreparts. This relationship may be expressed as a predeterminable line or orientation angularly disposed to but in the same plane as said median line and intercepting the median line the same distance from the toe end of each shoe. Thus, when the forepart of any size shoe of a given style is positioned lengthwise and laterally, both in respect to lateral bodily movement and to lateral swinging movement about an axis at its toe end with its longitudinal forepart median line in a predetermined position, then the predetermined line will intercept a corresponding locus at the heel end of that shoe as well as of any other shoe of the same style which is similarly positioned.

In operating on the foreparts of shoes with automatic machines such as that disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 2,596,169, granted on May 13, 1952, in the widthwise of the last. The direction of the movement of the heel rest lengthwise of the last is determined by a guide which is adjustable about an axis extending heightwise of the last in accordance with the style of the last and for right and left lasts, the heel rest also being adjustable widthwise of the last relatively to the guide.

For purposes of this invention the device herein shown is provided with means for orienting and clamping the fore part of a last with the toe end in a predetermined position and with the longitudinal median line of the forepart of the last bottom in correspondence with the longitudinal center line of the device. After the last is located and clamped, a V-shaped heel gage is adjusted lengthwise and laterally until it embraces the heel end of the last. A pointer is then dropped through a hole at the vertex of the V-shaped gage to establish a reference point on a sheet of paper fastened to the base plate of the device. Another last of the same style but of a different size is similarly'located and clamped in the device and the heelend of the last is gaged in the same manner as the aforementioned last and a second reference point is established'on the same sheet of paper, thus establishnames of Leonard E. Proulx and Roscoe L. Hill it becomes especially important accurately to determine the above-mentioned heel end orientation. In machines of this type the foreparts of flat lasted types of shoes are lasted with toe-embracing wipers which are shaped to conform substantially to the contour of a shoe around the toe opposite the edge of the insole. Accordingly such machines require special means for positioning the last and shoe relatively to the Wipers.

The above type of machine is provided with means for engaging the toe end of the last when the work is presented to the machine to position that end of the last lengthwise and laterally, i. e., with respect to lateral bodily movement, and with additional means for further positioning the toe end of the last angularly, i. e., with respect to lateral swinging movement about an axis at the end of the toe, by control of the heel end of the last. iSuch additional means normally comprises a substantially V-shaped heel rest which is moved lengthwise of the last into engagement with the upper on the heel end of the last after the work has been presented to the machine. In 'order that the heel rest will thus properly position lasts 'of diiferent styles, provision is afforded for determining selectively in accordance with the style of the last the direction of its movement lengthwise of the last and for also effecting a predetermined bodily adjustment thereof ing the relative locus of the heel end of two lasts of the same style in relation to the longitudinal center line of the device. As illustrated, the direction of movement of the heel gage lengthwise of the last is determined by a guide which is adjustable about an axis extending heightwise of the last, the gage also being adjustable widthwise relatively to the guide. Attached to the guide by two parallel links is a straight bar which can be moved toward and away from the guide, always remaining parallel to the guide.

While gaging the heel ends of the lasts to determine reference points, the guide is clamped so that the lengthwise movement of the gage is parallel to the center line of the device. After establishing the two reference points on the paper which underlies the guide and its parallel bar, the guide is unclamped and the parallel bar is oriented to bisect the two reference points, thus causing the guide to be swung about its axis until it is parallel to the reference marks. The guide is clamped in this position and the gage is moved lengthwise along the guide and widthwise of the last until the gage contacts both sides of the heel end of the last. The amount of lateral swinging movement of the guide is indicated by graduations marked on the base plate under the guide and the widthwise movement of the gage is indicated by graduations marked on its widthwise guide. With the device adjusted in this manner, the heel gage will correctly embrace the heel end of any size last of the style that was gaged, by merely sliding the heel gage along the guide lengthwise of the last.

' chine constructed in a manner identical with the heel gaging elements of the subject device. Such a heel rest is disclosed in the above-mentioned Letters Patent.

The above and other features of the invention including various novel details of construction and combinations of parts will now be more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings and thereafter pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings,

'Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the device embodying the invention; and i V Fig. 2 is a plan view of portions of the last orienting means with various sized lasts of the same style superimposed thereon.

According to shoemaking practice and to thelimitations of the above-mentioned lasting machine a single pair of wipers are made especially for a range of sizes of a given style of shoe and by adjustment in the machine conform substantially to the toe endcontours of the entire range of shoes of the given style. The instrument includes a locating means for accurately orienting a last which utilizes a pair of wiper plates 2 uniformly positioned one on each side of the longitudinal median line of the instrument to engage and position the forepart of the last in the instrument. The wiper plates 2-are the same as are used in the above-mentioned machine for wiping the toe portion of the uppers of shoes of a given style. By utilizing the same wipers to orient thelast in the instrument as are used in the machineany errors in the wipers are compensated for in gaging the lasts in the illustrative instrument.

The Wiper plates 2 are mounted on holders 4 which are guided for lateral adjustment by rolls 3 which are secured to the holders andride in curved slots 5 in a carrier 6. The wiper plates are held detachably in place in slots in the wiper holders by spring pressedpins 8 mounted in the holders, The carrier 6 is rigidly secured to a horizontal plate 7 which is mounted onthe upper ends of four bars 10 which in turn are rigidly mounted on a base plate 12. For adjusting the wipers laterally toward or from each other to accommodate-the variety of sizes of lasts within the size range and style of the wipers two links 14 are provided which are each, pivoted at one end to a corresponding wiperholder. The opposite ends of the links are both pivotallyrsecured to opposite ends of a bar 16 which. is mounted on a slide 18. The slide is adapted to move lengthwise of the instrumentin a slot 20 in an extension 22 of theplate 7. For moving the slide to adjust the wiper plates, an adjusting screw 24 is threaded into the slide 18, the screw having at one end a knurled head 26 and a flange 28. Two plates 30 and 32, secured to the extension 22, are arranged to engage the two vertical faces of the flange 28 to prevent lengthwise movement of the screw 24 as it is manually rotated. Thus it may be seen that by rotating the screw 24, the slide 18 is caused to move lengthwise of the screw and through the links 14 the holders 4 are adjusted equal amounts in curved lateral directions. In this manner an operator adjusts the wiper plates laterally to fit substantially the forepart of a last to-be gaged. By fitting the wiper plates to the forepart of the last, the last is oriented in the instrument lengthwise and laterally both with respect to lateral bodily movement and to lateral swinging movement about an axis at the toe end of the shoe.

For locating the last heightwise and with respect to lateral or longitudinal tipping movements, the device is provided with three bottom locating screws 34 threaded through a plate 36 secured to a laterally extending bar 38 which is secured at each end to upstanding posts) mounted on the plate 7.

To secure the last in a. position as determined by the locating screws 34 and the wiper plates 2, a clamping assembly 42 is arranged to be moved vertically toward and away from the locating :screws 34. The clamping assembly is sufficiently flexible to conform generally to the forepart portion of the last opposite the bottom thereof as the assembly engages the last in its clamping position.

For gaging the position of the heel end of the last after the forepart thereof is accurately oriented and clamped, as above described, the device is provided with a heel gage 44 having V-shaped surfaces 46. Opposite the surfaces 46 the gage is provided with a slideway 45 arranged to slide widthwise of the .last along a bar 48. The bar 48 has an extension 50 which is mounted for heightwise bodily and swinging movements between two upright members 52 which are secured at their lower ends to a slide 53. A pair of clamping screws 54 passing through slots 56 in the members 52 and threaded into the extension 50, are arranged to secure the extension 50 to the members 52 for maintaining the heel gage in its heightwise adjustment.

The slide 53, supporting the heel gage 44 and associated parts in their vertically and laterally adjusted position is arranged to slide lengthwise toward and away from the heel end of a last clamped in the device on a guide bar 58 which is mounted on an arm 60, the bar 58 being spaced above the arm 60 by two blocks 61 to provide clearance for movement of the slide 53. For varying the angular direction of the lengthwise sliding movements of the heel gage the arm 60 is mounted on the base plate .12 for lateral swinging movements about a pivot screw 62 the vertical axis of the pivot screw being arranged to pass through the lengthwise median line of the instrument. For noting the angular position of the arm 60 in relation to the longitudinal median line of the forepart of the last bottom and hence also the angular direction of the lengthwise movement of the heel gage, the free swinging end of the arm 60 is provided with a reference mark 64- which is adjacent indicia 66 cut in the base plate 12, the indicia being arbitrarily numbered from,0 to 8. Also attached to the arm 60 by two swingable links 68 is a bar 70 having a straight edge 72, the bar 70 being arranged to be moved toward and away from the arm but always maintaining the straight edge 72 parallel to the guide bar 58 and hence parallel to the direction of lengthwise movement of the heel gage.

For determining the locus of the heel end of the last in relation to its forepart, the heel gage 44 is Provided with a vertically extending hole 74 adjacent the vertex of the V-shaped surfaces 46. A rod 76, pointed at its lower end, is mounted in the hole 74 for heightwise sliding movements to indicate the locus of the gage and hence the heel end of the last on a sheet of paper P underlying the arm 60 and the bar 70, the paper being secured to the base plate 12 in any suitable manner.

In the operation of the instrument the operator selects a pair of wiper plates which were designed for lasting a range of sizes of the particular style of lasts to be gaged. After mounting that particular pair of wiper plates 2 in the wiper holders 4 and securing the plates by means of the pins 8, the operator places the bottom of the forepart of a last of one of the extremes of the range of sizes, for which the wiper plates 2 were designed, against the lower ends of the locating screws 34, thus locating the forepart of the last heightwise in the instrument as well as for lateral and lengthwise tipping movements. By manually adjusting the screw 24 until the wiper plates 2 fit snugly about the last forepart, the last is also positioned lengthwise of the instrument and against widthwise movement both for bodily and for swinging movements about an axis extending heightwise at its toe end. In this manner the lengthwise median line of the bottom of the forepart of the last is alined with the lengthwise and horizontal median line of the instrument. After so locating the last in the instrument the operatoradjusts the clamping assembly 42 until the last is firmly secured in the instrument in its oriented position.

After clamping the last as above described, the operator swings the arm 60 so the reference mark 64 on the arm is in alinement with the "0 mark on the base plate 12. The operator then moves the heel gage 44 lengthwise along the guide 58, heightwise along the members 52 and width- Wise along the bar 48 until the surfaces 46 embrace the heel end of the last. The operator then moves the rod 76 downwardly until the pointed end of the rod makes a mark on the sheet of paper P on the base plate 12 thus indicating the relative locus of the heel end of the last in relation to the device.

Without changing the position of the arm 60, the sheet of paper P, or replacing the wiper plates 2, the operator repeats the above steps using another last of the same style but of a size 'at the opposite end of the range of sizes for which the wiper plates were designed. In this manner the relative locus of the heel end of the second last is also indicated on the sheet of paper P. After thus establishing these two marks on the paper the second last is left undisturbed in the instrument and the heel gage 44 is moved away from the heel end of the last to allow the arm 60 to be swung about its pivot screw 62. The operator then moves the parallel bar 70 and hence also the arm 60 until the straight edge 72 bisects both marks on the paper. While maintaining the arm 60 in this position the operator moves the heel gage lengthwise and widthwise of the last until the surfaces 46 of the heel gage embrace the heel end of the last. After making these adjustments the operator notes the widthwise position of the heel gage as indicated by the'position of the gage in relation to the indicia on the bar 48 and also notes the position of the reference mark 64 on the arm 60 in relation to the indicia on the base plate 12. Having thus established the directional and widthwise adjustments of the heel gage as above described, the gage will accurately embrace the heel endof any size last of the style that was gaged merely by moving the gage lengthwise along its guide bar 58 without varying either the angular position of the arm 60 or thewidthwise position of the gage. Thus the widthwise position of the heel gage as indicated by the indicia on the bar 48 and the angular position of the arm 6b as indicated by the indicia 66 on the plate 12 may be used for making cornesponding adjustment of a heel rest of the type disclosed in the aforementioned patent.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A gaging instrument for shoe lasts comprising, in combination, means for orienting a last so that the longitudinal median line of the bottom of the forepart of the last coincides with the longitudinal median line of the instrument, means for securing the last in said oriented position, and gaging means for determining the locus of the heel end of the last relative to said median lines.

2. A gaging instrument for shoe lasts comprising, in combination, means for orienting a last so that the longitudinal median line of the bottom of the forepart of the last coincides with the longitudinal median line of the instrument, said orienting means also locating the last lengthwise of the instrument, means for securing the last in oriented position, and gaging means for determining the locus of the heel end of the last relative to said coincidental median lines.

3, A gaging instrument for shoe lasts comprising, in combination, means for orienting a last so that the longitudinal median line of the bottom of the forepart of the last coincides with the longitudinal median line of the instrument, means for securing the last in oriented position, and gaging means movable lengthwise and widthwise of the last for determining the locus of the heel end of the last relative to said median lines.

4. A gaging instrument for shoe lasts comprising, in combination, means for orienting a last so that the longitudinal median line of the bottom of the forepart of the last coincides with the longitudinal median line of the instrument, means for securing the last in oriented position, gaging means for determining the locus of the heel end of the last relative to said median lines, and means for recording the relative position of said locus.

v 5. A gaging instrument for shoe lasts comprising, in combination, means for orienting a last so that the longitudinal median line of the bottom of the forepart of the last coincides with the longitudinal median line of the instrument, means for securing the last in oriented position, gaging means for determining the locus of the heel end of the last relative to said median lines, and means for recording the loci'of the heel ends of a plurality of similarly gaged lasts of the same style whereby a line bisecting all of said loci may be established relative to said median lines.

6. ,A gaging instrument for shoe lasts comprising, in combination, means for orienting a last so that the longitudinal median line of the bottom of the forepart of the last coincides with the longitudinal median line of the instrument, means for securing the last in oriented position, a gaging member movable lengthwise and widthwise of the last for determining the locus of the heel end of the last relative to said median lines, and a guide for said member adjustable about an axis extending heightwise of the last for selectively predetermining the direction of lengthwise movement of the member.

7. A gaging instrument for shoe lasts comprising, in combination, means for orienting a last so that the longitudinal median line of the bottom of the forepart of the last coincides with the longitudinal median line of the instrument, means for securing the last in oriented position, a gaging member movable lengthwise and widthwise of the last for determining the locus of the heel end of the last relative to said median lines, means for recording the loci of the heel ends of a plurality of similarly gaged lasts of the same style whereby a line bisecting all of said loci may be established relatively to said median line s, and a guide for said member adjustable about an axis extending heightwise of the last for selectively predetermining the direction of lengthwise movement of the member whereby the guide may be adjusted so that the direction of the lengthwise movement of the gage member is parallel to said bisecting line.

8. A gaging instrument for shoe lasts comprising, in combination, means for orienting a last so that the longitudinal median line of the bottom of the forepart of the last coincides with the longitudinal median line of the instrument, means for securing the last in oriented position, a gaging member movable lengthwise and widthwise of the last for determining the locus of the heel end of the last relative to said median lines, a guide for said member adjustable about an axis extending heightwise of the last for selectively predetermining the directional lengthwise movement of the member, and a second guide for said member for adjusting said member widthwise of the last for determining the locus of the heel end of said last in relation to said bisecting line after adjusting said first guide.

9. A gaging instrument for shoe lasts comprising, in combination, means for orienting a last so that the longitudinal median line of the bottom of the forepart of the last coincides with the longitudinal median line of the instrument, said orienting means including a pair of adjustable plates having contours substantially corresponding to the marginal outlines of the bottoms of the foreparts of a plurality of lasts of the same style, means for mounting said plates in a predetermined relation to the longitudinal median line of the instrument, means for securing said last in oriented position, and means for determining the locus of the heel end of the last relative to said median lines.

10. A gaging instrument for shoe lasts comprising, in combination, means for orienting a last so that the longitudinal median line of the bottom of the forepart of the last coincides with the longitudinal median line of the instrument, said orienting means including a pair of adjustable plates having contours substantially corresponding to the marginal outlines of the bottoms of the foreparts of a plurality of lasts of the same style, means for mounting said plates in a predetermined relation to the longitudinal median line of the instrument, means for adjusting said plates on said mounting means whereby said contours correspond substantially with any one of said plurality of lasts, and means for determining the locus of the heel end of a last relative to said median lines.

'11. A gaging instrument for shoe lasts comprising, in combination, means for orienting a last so that the longitudinal median line of the bottom of the forepart of the last coincides with the longitudinal median line of the instrument, said orienting means including a pair of adjustable plates having contours substantially corresponding to the marginal outlines of the bottoms of the foreparts of a plurality of lasts of the same-style, said plates also locating the last lengthwise of the instrument, means for mounting said plates in a predetermined relation to the longitudinal median line of the instrument, means for securing said last in oriented position, and gaging means for determining the locus of theheel end of the last relative to said median lines.

12. A gaging instrument for'shoe lasts comprising-in combination, means for orienting a last so that the longitudinal median line of the bottomof the fcrepart of the last coincides with the longitudinal median line of the instrument, said orienting means including a pair of adjustable plates having contours substantially corresponding to the marginal outlines of the bottoms of the foreparts of a plurality of lasts of the same style, means for mountingsaid plates in a predetermined relation to the longitudinal median line of the instrument, means for securing said last in oriented positiomand gaging means movable lengthwise and widthwise of the last for determining the locus of the heel end of the last relative to said median lines.

13. A gaging instrument for shoe lasts comprising, in combination, means fororienting a last so that the longitudinal median line of the bottom of the forepart of the last coincides with the longitudinal median line of the instrument, said orienting means including a pair of ad justable plates having contours substantially corresponding to the marginal outlines of the bottoms of the foreparts of a plurality of lasts of the'same style, means for mounting said plates in a predetermined relation to the longitudinal median line of the instrument, means for securing said last in oriented position, gaging means for determining the locus of the heel end of the last relative to-said median lines, and means for recording the relative position of said locus.

14. A gaging instrument for shoe lasts comprising, in combination, means for orienting a last so that the longi tudinal median line of thebottom of the forepart of the last coincides with the longitudinal median line of the instrument, said orienting means including a pair of adjustable plates having contours substantially corresponding to the marginal outlines of the bottoms of the foreparts of a plurality of lasts of the same style,,means for mounting said plates in a predetermined relation to the longitudinal medianline of the instrument, means for securingsaid last in oriented position, gaging means for determining the locus of the heel end of the last relative to said median lines, and means for recording the loci of the heel ends of a plur ality of similarly gaged lasts of i the same style whereby a line bisecting all of said loci may be established relative to said median lines.

15. A gaging instrument for shoe lasts comprising, in combination, means for orienting a'last so that the longitudinal median line of the bottom of the forepart of the last coincides with the longitudinal median line of the instrument, said orienting means including a pair of adjustable plates having contours substantially corresponding to the marginal outlines of the bottoms of the foreparts of a plurality of lasts of the same style, means for mounting said plates in a predetermined relation to the longitudinal median line of the instrument, means for securing said last in oriented position, a gaging member movable lengthwise and widthwise of the last for determining the locus of the heel end of the last relative to said median lines, and a guide for said member adjustable about an axis extending heightwise ofthe last for selectively predetermining the direction of the lengthwise movement of the member.

16. A gaging instrument for shoe lasts comprising, in combination, means for orienting a last so that the longitudinal median line of the bottom of the forepart of the last coincides with the longitudinal median line of the instrument, said orienting means including a pair of adjustable plates having contours substantially corre-' sponding to the marginal outlines of the bottoms of the foreparts of a plurality-of lasts of the same style, means for mounting said plates in a predetermined relation to the longitudinalme'dianline of the instrument, means for securing said last in oriented position, a gaging member movable lengthwise and widthwise of the last for determining the locusof the heel end of the last relative to said median lines, means for recording the loci of the heel ends of a pluralityof similarly gaged lasts of the same style, and a guide for said member adjustable to de termine selectively the direction of the lengthwise move ment of themember by reference'to said loci.

17. A gaging instrument for shoe lasts comprising, in combination, means for orienting a last so that the longitudinal median line of the bottom of the forepart of the last coincides with the longitudinal median line of the instrument, said orienting means including a pair of adjustable plates having contours substantially corresponding to the marginal outlines of the bottoms of the foreparts of a plurality of lasts of the same style, means for mounting said plates in a predetermined relation to the longitudinal median line of the instrument, means for securing said last in oriented position, a gaging member movable lengthwise and widthwise of the last for determining the locus of the heel end of the last relative to said coincidental median lines, a guide for said member adjustable about an axis extending heightwise of the last for selectively predetermining the direction of the lengthwise movement ofthe member, and a second guide for said member for adjusting said member widthwise of the last for determining the locus of the heel end of the last in relation to said first guide after adjustment.

18. A gaging instrument for determining the directional relationship between the heel end loci of various size shoe lasts of the same style and the longitudinal median line of the last foreparts comprising, in combination, a last support provided with means for orienting and clamping the forepart of the last in a predetermined longitudinal-and lateral position relative to the instrument center line, a gaging member for determining the loci of the heel ends of various size shoe lasts of the same style relative to said center line, and means for recording said loci.

19. A gaging instrument for determining the directional relationship between the heel end loci of various size shoe lasts of the same style and the longitudinal median line of the last foreparts comprising, in combination, a last support provided with means for orienting and clamping the forepart of the last in a predetermined longitudinal and lateral position relative to the instrument center line, a substantially V-shaped member for determining said loci, said member being mounted for movement lengthwise and laterally of the last, a pointer mounted on said member for recording said loci, a guide for said member adjustable about an axis extending heightwise of the last for adjusting the direction of the lengthwise movement of the member, and a parallel bar arrangement mounted on said guide for bisecting said recorded loci whereby the lengthwise direction of movement of said member is parallel to the line bisecting said loci.

20. A gaging instrument for determining the directional relationship between the heel end loci of various size shoe lasts of the same style and the longitudinal median line of the last foreparts comprising, in combination, a last support provided with means for orienting and clamping the forepart of the last in a predetermined longitudinal and lateral. position relative to the instrument center line, a substantially V-shaped member for determining said loci, said member being mounted for movement lengthwise and laterally of the last, a pointer mounted on said member for recording'said loci, a guide for saidmember adjustable about an axis extending heightwise of the last for adjusting the direction of the lengthwise movement of the member, and a parallel bar arrangement mounted on said guide for bisecting said recorded loci whereby the lengthwise direction of movement of said member is parallel to a line bisecting said loci, indicia for noting the adjustment of said guide, and a second guide for widthwise adjustment of the member, the widthwi'se guide being provided with indicia for noting the adjustment of the member thereon.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

